Radomir Jaskuła

What do we know about winter active ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Central and Northern Europe?

Abstract This paper summarizes the current knowledge on winter active Carabidae in Central and Northern Europe. In total 73 winter active species are listed, based on literature and own observations. Ground beetles are among the three most numerous Coleoptera families active during the autumn to spring period. The winter community of Carabidae is composed both of larvae (mainly autumn breeding species) and adults, as well as of epigeic species and those inhabiting tree trunks. Supranivean fauna is characterized by lower species diversity than the subnivean fauna. The activity of ground beetles decreases in late autumn, is lowest during mid-winter and increases in early spring. Carabidae are noted as an important food source in the diet of insectivorous mammals. They are also predators, hunting small winter active invertebrates.

How unique is the tiger beetle fauna (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae) of the Balkan Peninsula?

Abstract The tiger beetle fauna of the Balkan Peninsula is one of the richest in Europe and includes 19 species or 41% of the European tiger beetle fauna. Assembled by their biogeographical origins, the Balkan tiger beetle species fall into 14 different groups that include, Mediterranean, Middle Oriental, Central Asiatic, Euro-Siberian, South and East European, Pannonian-Sarmatian, West Palaearctic, Turano-European and Afrotropico Indo-Mediterranean species. The Mediterranean Sclerophyl and the Pontian Steppe are the Balkan biogeographical provinces with the highest species richness, while the Balkan Highlands has the lowest Cicindelidae diversity. Most species are restricted to single habitat types in lowland areas of the Balkan Peninsula and only Calomera aulica aulica and Calomera littoralis nemoralis occur in respectively 3 and 4 different types of habitat. About 60% of all Balkan Cicindelidae species are found in habitats potentially endangered by human activity.

The Maghreb – one more important biodiversity hot spot for tiger beetle fauna (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae) in the Mediterranean region

Abstract The tiger beetle fauna of the Maghreb region is one of the richest in the Palaearctic, including 22 species and 5 subspecies and 19% of all Palaearctic species of Cicindelinae. Assembled to their chorotypes, the Maghreb tiger beetles fall into eight different groups that include Maghreb endemics (26% of fauna), Mediterranean (7%), West Mediterranean (40%), North African (4%), Mediterranean-Westturanian (4%), West Palaearctic (4%), Afrotropico-Indo-Mediterranean (4%), and Saharian (11%) species. The Mediterranean Sclerophyl and Atlas Steppe are the Maghreb biogeographical provinces with the highest species richness, while the Sahara Desert has the lowest Cicindelinae diversity. Twenty-five cicindelid species and subspecies (93% of Maghreb fauna) are restricted to only one or two habitat types in lowland areas. Only Calomera littoralis littoralis and Lophyra flexuosa flexuosa are recognized as eurytopic species and occur in three types of habitat. The highest tiger beetle diversity characterizes salt marshes and river banks (in both cases 11 species and subspecies or 41% of Maghreb fauna). Approximately 85% of all Maghreb tiger beetle species and subspecies are found in habitats potentially endangered by human activity.

Tiger Beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) of Tunisia: Distribution, Phenology, Taxa List and New Records

Based on the literature and new faunistic records, the diversity and distribution of the tiger beetles in Tunisia are summarized and discussed. In total, 15 species (one with two subspecies) are reported from the country. However, the occurrence of Cicindela maroccana maroccana is questionable, and should be confirmed by newer data. Checklists of tiger beetles are also provided for each Tunisian governorate. The highest diversity was recorded in the region adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea coastline. The area is mainly up to 100 m a.s.l. with salt marshes, strands of sandy sea beaches and river banks as main types of habitats occupied by Cicindelinae (14 species or 94 % of tiger beetle fauna). Mountainous and desert regions are characterized by much lower diversity (six species or 38% of fauna and two species or 13% of fauna, respectively). Cicindelinae occurring in these areas inhabit predominantly river banks and oases. In chorotype classification, Tunisian tiger beetles fall into six different groups including West Mediterranean species (50% of fauna), Maghreb endemics (19%), Mediterranean, North-African, Mediterranean-Westturanian and Afrotropico-Indo-Mediterranean species (each of them 6% of fauna). According to their phenology, the Tunisian tiger beetles may be divided into three main groups: 1) spring-active species (Cicindela campestris atlantis and all Neolaphyra taxa), 2) spring-summer-active species (Calomera littoralis littoralis, C. lunulata lunulata, Cassolaia maura cupreothoracica, Lophyra flexuosa flexuosa, Myriochila melancholica melancholica, Grammognatha euphratica euphratica), and 3) summer-active species (Calomera aulica aulica, Cylindera trisignata sciliensis and Cephalota spp.).

Pollinator diversity and reproductive success of Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz (Orchidaceae) in anthropogenic and natural habitats

Background Epipactis helleborine is an Eurasian orchid species which prefers woodland environments but it may also spontaneously and successfully colonise human-made artificial and disturbed habitats such as roadsides, town parks and gardens. It is suggested that orchids colonising anthropogenic habitats are characterised by a specific set of features (e.g., large plant size, fast flower production). However, as it is not well known how pollinator diversity and reproductive success of E. helleborine differs in populations in anthropogenic habitats compared to populations from natural habitats, we wanted to compare pollinator diversity and reproductive success of this orchid species between natural and anthropogenic habitat types. Methods Pollination biology, reproductive success and autogamy in populations of E. helleborine from anthropogenic (roadside) and natural (forest) habitats were compared. Eight populations (four natural and four human-disturbed ones) in two seasons were studied according to height of plants, length of inflorescences, as well as numbers of juvenile shoots, flowering shoots, flowers, and fruits. The number and diversity of insect pollinators were studied in one natural and two human-disturbed populations. Results Reproductive success (the ratio of the number of flowers to the number of fruits) in the populations from anthropogenic habitats was significantly higher than in the natural habitats. Moreover, plants from anthropogenic habitats were larger than those from natural ones. In both types of populations, the main insect pollinators were Syrphidae, Culicidae, Vespidae, Apidae and Formicidae. With respect to the type of pollinators’ mouth-parts, chewing (39%), sponging (34%) and chewing-sucking (20%) pollinators prevailed in anthropogenic habitats. In natural habitats, pollinators with sponging (55%) and chewing mouth-parts (32%) dominated, while chewing-sucking and piercing-sucking insects accounted for 9% and 4% respectively. Discussion We suggest that higher reproductive success of E. helleborine in the populations from anthropogenic habitats than in the populations from natural habitats may result from a higher number of visits by pollinators and their greater species diversity, but also from the larger size of plants growing in such habitats. Moreover, our data clearly show that E. helleborine is an opportunistic species with respect to pollinators, with a wide spectrum of pollinating insects. Summarising, E. helleborine is a rare example of orchid species whose current range is not declining. Its ability to make use of anthropogenically altered habitats has allowed its significant spatial range expansion, and even successful colonisation of North America.

Pleistocene phylogeography and cryptic diversity of a tiger beetle, Calomera littoralis, in North-Eastern Mediterranean and Pontic regions inferred from mitochondrial COI gene sequences

Background. Calomera littoralis is a Palearctic species, widely distributed in Europe; inhabiting predominantly its Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea coastlines. Methods. Its phylogeography on the Balkan Peninsula and on the north-western Black Sea coast was inferred using a 697 bp long portion of the mitochondrial COI gene, amplified from 169 individuals collected on 43 localities. Results. The results revealed two genetically divergent groups/lineages, the southern one inhabiting both the Balkan Peninsula and the Pontic Region and the northern one found exclusively in the Pontic Region. Species delimitation based on DNA barcoding gap suggested an interspecific level of divergence between these groups. Multivariate analysis of eight male and female morphometric traits detected no difference between the groups, implying they may represent cryptic species. The Bayesian time-calibrated reconstruction of phylogeny suggested that the lineages diverged ca. 2.3 Ma, in early Pleistocene. Discussion. The presence of the two genetically divergent groups results most likely from contemporary isolation of the Pontic basin from the Mediterranean that broke the continuous strip of coastal habitats inhabited by C. littoralis. Demographic analyses indicated that both lineages have been in demographic and spatial expansion since ca. 0.15 Ma. It coincides with the terminal stage of MIS-6, i.e., Wartanian/Saalian glaciation, and beginning of MIS-5e, i.e., Eemian interglacial, during which, due to eustatic sea level rise, a wide connection between Mediterranean and the Pontic basin was re-established. This, along with re-appearance of coastal habitats could initiate north-east expansion of the southern lineage and its secondary contact with the northern one. The isolation of the Pontic basin from the Mediterranean during the Weichselian glaciation most likely did not have any effect on their phylogeography.

Rare patterns of dorsal puncture in Pterostichus oblongopunctatus (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Background The carabid beetle species Pterostichus oblongopunctatus is common in different types of forests in Poland and Europe. With respect to this species, some unclarities exist concerning the morphological feature of punctures on the elytra. P. oblongopunctatus has dorsal pits in the third interval of the elytra, the available identification keys, however, provide inconsistent information concerning the puncture in other intervals. During long-term studies at different study sites in Poland, the first author rarely but regularly discovered individuals with unusual dorsal puncture patterns, i.e., pits in the fifth and even in the seventh interval of the elytra. Since such rare patterns might be connected with special habitat characteristics, and thus have a potential as an indicator, the aim of the study was to test if they are connected with specific subpopulations (interaction groups), if they are related to the sex or size of the beetles, and if they are related to specific habitat conditions. Material and Methods We counted the pits on the elytra, determined the sex, and measured the length of the right elytron of individuals of P. oblongopunctatus collected at numerous study sites located within the borders of the Regional Directory of National Forests in Piła (Western Poland) over the period 2014–2016. Results Altogether, 1,058 individuals of P. oblongopunctatus were subjected to statistical analysis. Almost 19% of the individuals had a dorsal puncture in the fifth interval of the elytra and about 0.7% had a dorsal puncture in the seventh interval of the elytra. In 2014 and 2015, significantly more females exhibited such unusual patterns of dorsal puncture than males. Even if not statistically significant, in 2016 also relatively more females showed such a pattern. Neither males nor females of the analysed individuals with usual puncture patterns showed a significant difference in the length of the right elytron from those with unusual puncture patterns, and neither for males nor for females a significant correlation of the percentage share of the individuals with unusual puncture patterns with the age of the study sites could be detected. However, both males and females with unusual patterns had more dorsal pits than those without. Moreover, males as well as females showed in all those years a trend that the individuals with unusual patterns have more pits in the third interval of the elytra. Discussion The results indicate that females are more likely to exhibit unusual patterns. Since individuals of P. oblongopunctatus with a higher number of pits on the elytra are supposed to prevail in more wet habitats, such patterns might be related to moisture conditions. The possibility of pits in the seventh interval of the elytra should be added to identification keys.

Herbarium-based studies on taxonomy, biogeography and ecology of Psilochilus (Orchidaceae)

Background Psilochilus is a poorly studied orchid genus distributed from southern Mexico to south-eastern Brazil. A taxonomic revision of this Neotropical endemic based on morphological data is presented. Material and Methods Over 170 dried herbarium specimens and flowers preserved in liquid of Psilochilus were analyzed. Morphological variation among examined taxa was described based on multivariate analysis. To evaluate the similarity between niches occupied by various Psilochilus species ecological niche modeling (ENM) was applied. Species richness and the distribution patterns of Psilochilus representatives were analyzed based on squares of 5° latitude and longitude while similarities among floras between biogeographical units were measured using the Bray-Curtis index for presence/absence data. Results and Discussion A new species of the P. physurifolius-complex is described based on Central American material. Psilochilus crenatifolius is reduced to the rank of variety as P. macrophyllus var. crenatifolius. A key to 18 accepted Psilochilus species is provided. The illustrations of perianth segments of all recognized taxa are presented. The climatic niches preferred by the particular Psilochilus representatives are well separated based on ecological niche modeling analysis. Their distribution is limited mainly by the isothermality and temperature seasonality. The highest Psilochilus species richness is observed in the North Andean, Panamanian, Brazilian Planalto and Central American biogeographical provinces. A high level of endemism is observed in all those regions as well as Yungas biogeographical province. Most Psilochilus species occur in areas above 800 m of elevation. The populations were most often reported from the tropical rain forest and tropical moist deciduous forest.

First African Records of Agabus ramblae Millán & Ribera, 2001 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

The genus Agabus (Dytiscidae) in North Africa is poorly studied. Agabus (Gaurodytes) ramblae was found for the first time in two localities in Tunisia (Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur governorates) and one in Libya (Yafran province). This is the first report of this species from Africa, which increases the number of Agabus species known from North Africa to 13. The known distribution of A. ramblae is discussed. An updated checklist of Agabus species occurring in the North Africa is provided.

A distribution atlas of legally protected ground beetle species (Coleoptera: Carabidae) occurring in the Łódź Province, central Poland

Data on diversity and distribution on ground beetle species protected by Polish law noted in the area of the Łodź Province is summarized based on the literature data and new records. In total, data on twenty taxa are provided including records for Calosoma (3) and Carabus species (17). Among them, occurrence of three species should be confirmed by new faunistic data: Carabus auratus (not noted since 1959), C. marginalis and C. nitens (both with last records from before 1990). The most common species in the region are: Carabus arvensis, C. auronitens, C. cancellatus, C. granulatus, C. nemoralis, C. hortensis, and C. violaceus. Seven species are endangered according to the Polish Red List, including Carabus clathrarus Linnaeus, 1761 (EN category), C. marginalis Fabricius, 1794 and C. nitens Linnaeus, 1758 (VU category), Calosoma sycophanta (Linnaeus, 1758) and Carabus convexus Fabricius, 1775 (NT category), C. intricatus Linnaeus, 1761 (LC category), and C. problematicus (DD category).